Press Release
On July 11, Senator Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford) secured significant state investments for the Greater New Bedford region that will enhance the ongoing mixed-use redevelopment of the State Pier and connect it to a revived Star Store accompanied by the Zeiterion Theater’s grand reopening. The Senate also endorsed Montigny’s effort to secure the long-term future of the aging Pope’s Island Marina and critical upgrades for the historic Millicent Library in Fairhaven. The measures are included as a series of over $11.8 million in state bond authorizations within the Senate’s economic development bill S2856, An Act relative to strengthening Massachusetts’ economic leadership.
Since 2008, Montigny has been a tireless advocate of redeveloping the State Pier into a vibrant mixed-use facility featuring cargo operations, commercial fishing, ferry services, marine educational facilities, and a fresh fish market. His law provides a $25 million state bond authorization to finance the project, which marks the third phase of the Senator’s overall economic development vision that started with his legislation to rehabilitate the Star Store in downtown New Bedford followed by the extensive redevelopment of Route 18. He has long envisioned a seamless connection between a vibrant downtown and a mixed-use pier on the waterfront.
Senator Montigny was also the lead sponsor of the law putting MassDevelopment in charge of the pier’s redevelopment, ensuring public transparency and accountability during the process.
During this latest economic development bill, Montigny secured an additional $10 million to provide a significant boost to the pier’s ongoing redevelopment. In addition to the original mixed-use concept prompted by Montigny, this latest effort in the Senate’s economic development bill paves the way for a future extension of the Southcoast commuter rail directly onto the pier. A rail spur currently exists at the site to accommodate the extension. Providing train service to the state pier would provide passengers with streamlined access to local ferry services, the Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey, and a direct connection to the downtown’s arts and cultural center.
As the original impetus to the downtown’s renewed arts and cultural revival, the Star Store was redeveloped pursuant to Montigny’s legislation into a vibrant college arts campus. While UMass Dartmouth abruptly abandoned the building last year, Montigny has remained determined to position the Star Store for a bright future centered around the arts and artists who made the original project and the downtown renaissance so successful. The Senator’s addition to the Senate economic development bill provides a realistic pathway for the Commonwealth to obtain the building and finally secure the public’s long-time investment in the property. The directive requires the building to be used for public purposes that can include artist lofts, studio space, and public gallery space. A public hearing would be held in New Bedford alongside trusted community partners such as WHALE, PACE, DATMA, Bristol Community College, Bridgewater State University, and MassDevelopment to solicit public feedback on additional public uses that can be implemented in the building.
To support the efforts, Montigny’s prior $8 million bond authorization is stripped from UMass Dartmouth and will be made available for the building’s needs once ownership is transferred to the Commonwealth. The amendment represents a first and critical step in a lengthy process to revive the building for the public’s benefit.
“For almost 25 years, we have been relentless in pursuing a three-part vision starting with the Star Store to revive our amazing arts in the downtown and to connect that seamlessly to our bustling working waterfront through a mixed-use concept at the State Pier and redeveloped Route 18,” said Montigny. “The Senate’s economic development bill is a home run that can really put an exclamation point on this work and truly transform New Bedford into a major destination for both residents and those curious about what we’ve known all along about our beautiful city on Buzzards Bay.”
To further fuel the downtown arts and cultural renaissance, Senator Montigny also secured $840,000 for the Zeiterion Theater’s grand reopening following its ongoing $37 million renovation project. The historic theater is vital to the ongoing vitality of restaurants and other businesses in the city center and is expected to fully reopen in the Fall of 2025. The new features will include a new marquee, seating, bathrooms, restored murals, lighting and sound upgrades, an expanded lobby, second floor lounge classroom space and so much more.
The State Pier and downtown was not the only major local project secured by the Senator. Last month, the entire New Bedford legislative delegation announced a historic agreement to secure severely needed capital investments and a formal management arrangement for the busy, but aging, Pope’s Island Marina. Agreement from all six members of the delegation highlights the critical importance of the marina to the recreational assets of the city’s harbor and the entire Commonwealth.
In 1987, the legislature authorized $3 million for the development and construction of the Pope’s Island Marina. In recent years, the marina has been operating under an outdated 2006 agreement between the Department of Conservation and Recreation and the New Bedford Port Authority while the marina itself is in need of a multi-million-dollar capital rehabilitation effort.
The New Bedford delegation previously secured up to $5.1 million in state bond authorizations for the project, and earlier this month Senator Montigny spoke with Secretary Tepper’s office to garner the administration’s support.
To solve ongoing operational and maintenance needs of the marina, Senator Montigny, Representative Hendricks and the entire legislative delegation agreed upon new legislation in the economic development bill that directs DCR to lease the marina to the New Bedford Port Authority for 10 years with an option to extend for two additional 5-year terms. Under the lease, the port authority would provide oversight, operations, maintenance, and repair of the marina in addition to contributions to an escrow account with DCR to help fund capital repairs. The port authority would be allowed to retain revenues over and above the required annual deposits.
Senator Montigny also insisted upon at least 20 parking spaces at no charge to visitors of the popular Noah’s Place Playground, which he also secured in the form of a $1 million bond authorization for Pope’s Island.
“Pope’s Island Marina is an important state-owned asset in the middle of our bustling harbor that has been entrusted to the city’s care to serve local recreational needs as well as the needs of the broader boating community,” said Senator Montigny. “With that in mind, I am happy to partner with my House colleagues to make sure this asset is put on a proper path to meet the marina’s ongoing capital needs while retaining the city as our entrusted partner to keep operating the boat slips in conjunction with the abutting park and playground facilities. The entire facility is a great destination for families and residents to enjoy our beautiful waterfront.”
Montigny also spearheaded a $1 million amendment to upgrade HVAC systems at the Millicent Library in Fairhaven. Built in 1891, the library was donated to the town by Standard Oil executive Henry Huttleston Rogers in memory of his youngest daughter Millicent, known as “Millie”. The library houses numerous historic works including those from Mark Twain and Helen Keller. The current HVAC systems was installed in 1968 and is well beyond its useful lifespan, forcing the library to shut down during extreme summer heat. Library trustees reached out to the Senator for assistance, citing a 2022 engineering report they commissioned estimating the project cost at about $1 million. Montigny’s amendment in the economic development bill will help jumpstart the project and protect the town’s historic gem.
An Act relative to strengthening Massachusetts’ economic leadership will now head to conference negotiations between the Senate and House before heading to the Governor’s desk.
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